Question for full timers

[Scott & Heather]

We started when we were 29 and 27 respectively. We are now 35 and 32 have a two year old and another one due Feb 3 and are still loving it. But it’s not for the faint of heart....Bus problems aren’t like house problems. Very different scenarios. Fulltime and you’ll understand. We won’t do this forever. I can assure you of that.


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[paul102a3]

This has been great feedback so thanks. Our situation is a bit different than most, married 33 years, worked side by side in our own business for those same 33 years, no kids, only 2 living relatives on my wife’s side and we are recently retired.

We just return from a 4 1/2 month trip in a borrowed coach so we have a good perspective of what lies ahead. My wife and I are very lucky to be each other’s best friend so being together for long periods of time in small spaces is not a problem.

One thing that is so great about this forum is it opens your mind. I had not considered packing a shipping container or renting our home. I could easily see packing a shipping container with the household items, store it in the bus garage/workshop and rent the house out.

i just have to determine which is better for me, rental income (minus expenses) vs investment income.

Thanks again

[kyle4501]

Renting brings a host of issues & potential pitfalls. You must consider who you will be renting to. Some renters we have had will make you question if humans are an advanced life form.   
However, we currently have some that are amazing, responsible people that take very good care of everything.

So, no guarantees with renting.


Additionally, I don't think I would want the same house after full timing for several years . . . . I'm sure my needs will have changed.

[akroyaleagle]

What Kyle said!

[chessie4905]

If you are full time in it, both should be able to drive, at least interstates.

[akroyaleagle]

Frankie has never driven nor wanted to drive the bus. There should be nowhere you have to be so the only other reason is illness.

There are many here that would help if the coach needed to be relocated.

Stop pole vaulting over ant hills and enjoy the ride!

[Branderson]

Try the life style 1 st for a year it is not for everyone,we tried it for a year and decided it wasn't for us

Do you mind telling us what issues bothered you?

I'm really torn down the middle with F/T.  But I think the only way I can not go crazy is to upgrade to a bus with slides.  My MCI just seems cramped with wife and I and two dogs.  I've said it before but the idea of getting rid of all the stuff I've gotten gives me anxiety too. 

I'm probably going to work for another 5yrs before I really retire and wish I could afford to keep the house and travel when I want to.  Right now, we are going to continue to camp once a month and take vacations when we can.  Next summer we are going to spend a month in Myrtle beach with the bus.  But I'm going to continue to soak up everyone's experience of F/T.

[Dave5Cs]

Why not try workamping? We did that for 18 months and it was fun. The other people there were a PITA but that finally stopped when 4 of them got fired. You just have to make sure you get it all in writing. 20 hours a week per person (couples at most places) free spot to live in your Bus or RV. Free electric and Gas plus some give you a small pay check 7 to 10 an hour plus overtime, but they are all different. That way you can get an idea of what it is like being out of the house and then rent your house to someone you know with the agreement that if you come back to it they have to leave with a reasonable time between that and when you come back. Just an idea.

[PP]

I think Dave5Cs hit the nail on the head if you're really undecided as to whether this is the lifestyle for you or not. Try workamping first. My wife was a volunteer coordinator for quite a few years for the FS and managed approx. 50 host sites year round. You will meet some of the nicest people and can learn valuable insights from the people that are doing it. It's definitely worth looking into if you're undecided. A free site with all amenities and sometimes even a small paycheck to boot. Expect to commit to at least 6 months, but if you don't like the site you're in, they're usually more than glad to move you around. Good luck in whatever you decide, but remember, we only live once.
Will and wife

[Dave5Cs]

You can do it at RV parks, Amazon, for companies and live at a local RV park sometimes provided. When my wife broke her ankle we found a guy who needed some help at his ranch and invited us to stay. He had a 62x12 foot work trailer that we converted into a house. We stay in it when not on the road in our Bus. We work the ranch in exchange for the trailer and a place to keep and work on the Bus when needed. That saves on storage also. I work 20 to 30 hours when I want to and we go on the road when we want to and they go on the road also when we are here. Been here for 6 years now and we are all the same age and it works out well for both of us. It is about 4 acres and we live in the back and they live up front. I can work on the Bus when ever I want to. So we call it workamping with a base. We no longer own a house ( we sold it in 2009) got rid of our stuff and never looked back. We just got off the road and were out for about 2 months. Life is good.

[windtrader]

Update on mobile - land based considerations.

Over the Christmas holiday, my wife and I agreed to sell our home and move back to Sacramento where most family resides. We are renting a furnished house where we'll store all our belongings in the garage. Rather than jump on-board the bus full time, we plan on taking a few month long trips to experience extended trips away from home. My gut tells me we'll never go full time as we need a home base even if occupied part time. Sacramento works fine now but another place might work better down the road.

Our tactic to sorting through the "stuff" is: 1) box and store keeper stuff, 2) box and move "not sure" stuff, 3) donate stuff and 4) stuff goes to dumpster.

Hoping we'll be through this move and on the road in the next month.

[Branderson]

Update on mobile - land based considerations.

Over the Christmas holiday, my wife and I agreed to sell our home and move back to Sacramento where most family resides. We are renting a furnished house where we'll store all our belongings in the garage. Rather than jump on-board the bus full time, we plan on taking a few month long trips to experience extended trips away from home. My gut tells me we'll never go full time as we need a home base even if occupied part time. Sacramento works fine now but another place might work better down the road.

Our tactic to sorting through the "stuff" is: 1) box and store keeper stuff, 2) box and move "not sure" stuff, 3) donate stuff and 4) stuff goes to dumpster.

Hoping we'll be through this move and on the road in the next month.

If I may ask, since this is an important topic to me.  Did you decide to rent b/c there was that much of a difference in mortgage vs cost of rent?  Or were you both planning on moving to Sacramento anyway? I ask b/c I'm trying to picture why I would get rid of current home in order to rent another one and I don't see the benefit unless it was one of the two reasons I mentioned earlier.

[windtrader]

There were many reasons to sell the house in the Bay Area and move to Sacramento. Key reasons -  we are simply done with place: the crowds and traffic and high costs and hard left political leaning. Second reason is the next big earthquake. All predictions indicate the Bay Area is overdue for a big one, specifically the Hayward fault is cited and runs just two miles from us. After living through the '89 Loma Prieta earthquake and the '91 Oakland Hills fire, the bay area region is really show getting things fixed. Third reason is local real estate has been on a rage and it just feels like a pause or correction is due soon.

We don't have a decade or two waiting for the Bay Area to recover from a disastrous earthquake, massive firestorm, or real estate market collapse. My dad is 97 and my wife's mom is 102, soon 103. Both are in amazing health so we want to be closer to them.

There is a huge difference in rents but that has no influence in our decisions. Oddly, the rent will be more than the current mortgage payment but that is because we've been here so long.

[Dave5Cs]

Wondered where you guys had gone too. Welcome to the Neighborhood. LOL
Leaving the Bus where it was before or moving it up too?
Dave

[windtrader]

Hey Dave, The bus has been in Sacramento since Xmas, in your old stomping grounds, 5 minutes walk from Bel Air.  As soon as the deal closes before 15 March, we're taking a trip just to recoup from all the BS involved in selling/moving. After that, follow the path most interesting. LOL